Science of the Intern: A Balancing Act
about the author
Jordan J. Frasier is a staff writer for NextGen Journal. He’s a senior at George Mason University studying political science and journalism. Jordan is a news editor for Connect2mason.com and is a network news intern in Washington D.C. Connect with him on twitter @jordanjfrasier and at jordanjfrasier.com.
There’s a spectrum when it comes to internships. At one end is the student whose only commitment during the semester is to their internship. At the other end is the student who is an intern with a full class load, who also holds a part-time job in order to have an income while interning unpaid.
I’ve never been on the first side of that spectrum, but I know those types of students exist. I’ve seen them – and envied them. For interns closer to my side of the threshold, who are actively spinning multiple plates in the air like they’re enrolled in a perverse clown college, the issue of time management is an ever present and often frustrating concept. The whole balancing act becomes a delicate art.
But with a little thought it is possible to do it all.
One: The first step is to always make the most of your time. Just for a moment, think about all the time throughout your day when you wait for a bus, or for a professor, or stand in a line. If you add up all of those little specks of “free time,” you’ll end up with a productive chunk that has you well on your way to accomplishing more than you otherwise would have. All you need to do to find these little nuggets-of-the-clock is to put your mind to it. Go through your day looking to make the most of your time, and you will find time to use more productively.
Two: It’s imperative for the well-managed intern to be organized. You should always carry a notebook and pen that includes a list of tasks, big and small, that you need to accomplish in any given day. If you have this list, you’ll have an outline for filling the free moments in your day with productive activity. Having a notebook handy is also great for random, inspired insights. You never know when an essay outline will pop into your head or when the perfect idea for that art assignment will strike you. Lucky for you, the well-managed intern has a notebook to record those ideas – making great use of every second of the day.
Three: If you’ve got the list, and you find the time, then you’ve got to have the materials. Every well-managed intern should carry the materials they need to check things off their list and use all of their free time. It’s a no-brainer to always have a book, just make sure it’s the book at the top of your homework triage list. It’s also wise to carry copies of course syllabi and assignment sheets, not to mention your laptop. Get a bag and stuff it with everything you might need.
Four: Sometimes you’ll find a few spare moments at your internship. Embrace those moments by logging onto Blackboard or another course site to take care of that required discussion board post or read that article for your political theory class. Just because you’re in the office, doesn’t mean you have to completely forget about school.
Five: Maybe the key to managing your time better as an intern is as simple as setting your alarm a few minutes early. I know that no college student wants to wake-up before they have to, but I promise you’ll get used to it and you’ll appreciate the extra time in your schedule. Start small and give yourself an extra ten minutes.
Six: The biggest thing you can do to manage your time better is to think ahead. Are you leaving the office late and you’ll have to wait a few extra minutes for the next bus back to campus? Take those few minutes to grab a sandwich. Now you’ve carved out some time for dinner and you won’t have to wait later on. Thinking ahead to combine trips or to take advantage of a grocery store or pharmacy along your route will save precious minutes in your daily schedule.
Being an intern, a student, and an employee all at the same time isn’t easy, but it can be done. Just think ahead and be prepared, and you’ll make those “other” interns look lazy.
